falsely
/ˈfɔːlsli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɔːlsli/ (ame, ipa)
falsely — adverb
1. in a way that deliberately says or shows something that is not true, especially
in a way that deliberately says or shows something that is not true, especially when accusing someone of something wrong or reporting an event that did not happen.
The journalist was fired for falsely reporting that the mayor had accepted bribes from developers.
falsely + reporting/claiming/accusing
Amin spent three years in prison after being falsely accused of stealing company funds.
passive: be falsely accused of [crime]
The witness falsely stated that she had seen the suspect near the bank that night.
Deepak discovered that someone had falsely signed his name on the loan application.
- untruthfully
more neutral; focuses on the statement being untrue rather than the speaker's intent
- dishonestly
stronger emphasis on the speaker's bad character or intent to deceive
- mendaciously
formal; describes a habit of lying rather than a single false statement
- truthfully
direct opposite — stating facts as they really are
- honestly
implies both truthfulness and good faith
文法句型
falsely + [verb of stating/accusing]
falsely + past participle (falsely accused, falsely reported)
用法筆記
Common in legal and news contexts. The subject deliberately tells an untruth — distinguish from Sense 2, where the person is simply mistaken.
常見錯誤
2. in a way that is based on a wrong idea or incorrect information, resulting in an
in a way that is based on a wrong idea or incorrect information, resulting in an honest mistake rather than a deliberate lie.
Many people falsely believe that eating after 8 p.m. causes more weight gain than eating earlier.
falsely believe that…
The doctor falsely assumed the patient's chest pain was just heartburn and sent him home.
Tourists in Hanoi often falsely conclude that the street food is unsafe because of the busy market conditions.
Olga falsely thought the exam was on Friday instead of Wednesday and missed the test entirely.
- wrongly
more common in everyday speech; slightly less formal
- incorrectly
focuses on the factual error rather than the mental process
- mistakenly
emphasises that the person's understanding was wrong
文法句型
falsely + [verb of belief/assumption] + that-clause
falsely + past participle (falsely believed, falsely assumed)
用法筆記
Modifies verbs of cognition — think, believe, assume, conclude, suppose. The error is unintentional; the person does not know the truth. 'Wrongly' is a more common, everyday alternative for this sense.
常見錯誤
3. in a way that pretends to feel or intend something that is not genuine, especial
in a way that pretends to feel or intend something that is not genuine, especially when making promises, showing emotion, or offering reassurance.
The candidate falsely promised to lower taxes during the election campaign and broke the promise soon after winning.
falsely + promise/pledge/assure
Chiara smiled falsely at her colleague while feeling deeply irritated by the comment she had just heard.
The salesman falsely assured the elderly couple that the washing machine would last another fifteen years.
Boitumelo nodded along falsely, pretending to agree with the proposal while already planning a different approach.
- insincerely
broader and more direct; describes any mismatch between words and true feelings
- deceitfully
stronger negative connotation; implies the intent to trick someone
- hypocritically
specific to claiming to have standards or beliefs one does not actually follow
文法句型
falsely + [verb of promising/assuring]
falsely + [verb of emotional expression]
用法筆記
Pairs with verbs of social performance — promise, smile, assure, nod, laugh, praise. The person's outward action does not match their inward feeling or intention.